Anti-theft protection device for a motor vehicle

Abstract

An anti-theft protection device for a motor vehicle. In an exemplary application, the anti-theft protection device for a motor vehicle includes a passenger door watershield having a pass-through slit formed therein and an anti-theft sleeve located proximate thereto which encloses and protects the passenger door link rods.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a motor vehicle door assembly having a watershield, a door handle mechanism, and a linkage horizontally extending from said door handle mechanism proximate to said watershield, the improvement comprising: an anti-theft mechanism secured to the watershield laterally spaced apart from said door handle mechanism and above the linkage so as to be unattached to said door handle mechanism, said anti-theft mechanism extending downward therefrom so as to at least partially conceal the linkage to prevent tampering with the linkage. 
     
     
       2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein said anti-theft mechanism is heat staked to the watershield. 
     
     
       3. The improvement of claim 1, further comprising a slit provided in the watershield proximate said anti-theft mechanism, the linkage extending through said slit. 
     
     
       4. The improvement of claim 2, wherein said anti-theft mechanism comprises a sleeve operative for enclosing a portion of the linkage. 
     
     
       5. The improvement of claim 4, wherein the linkage is operatively fed through said sleeve and said slit. 
     
     
       6. The improvement of claim 5, wherein said sleeve comprises: a first portion and a second portion configured generally to a geometry of the watershield; and   a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion;   whereby said first portion and said second portion are attached to the watershield above and below the linkage, respectively.   
     
     
       7. The improvement of claim 6, wherein said third portion of said sleeve is generally arcuate in shape. 
     
     
       8. A door assembly for a motor vehicle having a body, the door assembly comprising: a door latch for selectively latching the door to the body;   inner and outer door panels defining a chamber therebetween;   a watershield attached to one of the inner and outer panels;   a door handle attached to one of the inner and outer panels;   linkage means disposed within said chamber and coupled to said door handle for controlling actuation of said door latch; and   an anti-theft sleeve attached to said watershield at a location laterally spaced apart from said door handle along said linkage means so as to be unattached to said door latch and positioned so as to at least partially enclose said linkage means;   whereby said anti-theft sleeve prevents tampering with said linkage means.   
     
     
       9. The door assembly of claim 8, wherein said linkage means comprises first link rods and second link rods, said anti-theft sleeve enclosing said first link rods. 
     
     
       10. The door assembly of claim 9, wherein said first and second link rods comprise a pair of horizontally oriented link rods operatively interconnecting said door handle and said door latch. 
     
     
       11. The door assembly of claim 10, further comprising a slit provided in said watershield proximate said anti-theft sleeve, said first link rods being operatively fed through said anti-theft sleeve and said slit formed in said watershield. 
     
     
       12. The door assembly of claim 11, wherein said anti-theft sleeve comprises: a first portion and a second portion configured generally to a geometry of said watershield; and   a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion;   whereby said first portion and said second portion are attached to said watershield proximate said slit.   
     
     
       13. The door assembly of claim 12, wherein said third portion of said anti-theft sleeve is generally arcuate in shape. 
     
     
       14. The door assembly of claim 12, wherein said first portion and said second portion of said anti-theft sleeve are heat staked to said watershield. 
     
     
       15. A watershield for a passenger door of a motor vehicle, the passenger door including a latching system having a door handle, a door latch and a latch linkage for selectively controlling the door latch, the watershield comprising: a main body portion adapted to be attached to the passenger door; and   a sleeve attached to the watershield at a location laterally spaced apart from said door handle along said latch linkage so as to be unattached to said door latch and adapted to at least partially conceal the latch linkage.   
     
     
       16. The watershield of claim 15, wherein said sleeve is fixedly attached to said main body portion along a horizontal line and downwardly extends therefrom so as to cover the latch linkage and prevent access to the latch linkage in a downward direction. 
     
     
       17. The watershield of claim 16, further comprising a slit formed in said main body portion proximate said sleeve, said slit adapted to receive the latch linkage. 
     
     
       18. The watershield of claim 17, wherein said sleeve comprises: a first portion and a second portion configured generally to a geometry of the watershield; and   a third portion disposed between said first portion and said second portion;   whereby said first portion and said second portion are attached to said main body portion proximate said slit.   
     
     
       19. The watershield of claim 18, wherein said third portion of said sleeve is generally arcuate in shape. 
     
     
       20. The watershield of claim 18, wherein said first portion and said second portion of said sleeve are heat staked to said main body portion.